CO CAVAN, Ireland - An Garda Sochna conducted a number of searches in the Co Cavan area of Ireland on Friday in relation to the brutal attack of a businessman earlier in the week.

Kevin Lunney, a Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) executive, who has been with the company for 24 years (pictured), was abducted from his car, near his home in Derrylin, Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland at around 6:40pm on Tuesday night, and was seriously assaulted and tortured before being left at the side of the road in the border region at Drumcoughill, Cornafean, County Cavan some time before 9:00pm.

The QIH Operations Director was discovered by local residents just before 9:00pm and was taken to hospital with serious injuries to his face, which had been slashed with a knife along with his throat, his finger nails extracted, and his leg broken in two places.

"The local community and all normal people in a democratic society, and An Garda Sochna are outraged at this savage and horrific attack on a businessman going about his normal business. An Garda Sochna will make every effort to bring these violent criminals to justice, but we need the support of the local community in order to do so," An Garda Sochna Deputy Commissioner John Twomey said Friday in Cavan.

Chief Superintendent John O'Reilly, Cavan/ Monaghan Garda Division leading the investigation added: "An Garda Sochna has committed significant local resources to an incredibly serious investigation and will continue to do so into the future, fully supported by national units, in order to bring this investigation to a successful conclusion. My team and I continue to support Mr. Lunney and his family and work closely with the management team of Quinn Industrial Holdings."

Three teams of Armed Support Unit (ASU) garda arrived in Cavan town on Friday to be deployed in northern Cavan along the border as a deterrent to any further attacks on senior executives of QIH.

An Garda Sochna and the Police Service of Northern Ireland are appealling for any person who may have seen a black saloon Audi being driven in the Derrylin, Fermanagh / Swanlinbar, Killeshandra Cavan areas to make contact.

An Garda Sochna are appealing for anyone who may have been driving in the Fermanagh/ Cavan border region over the course of Tuesday evening, between 6:00pm and 10:00pm, who may have dash cam footage to contact them.

Any person who has any information on this criminal attack or other criminal activities which have taken place in the Cavan/ Fermanagh border area over recent years can contact An Garda Sochna at Cavan Garda Station 049 4368800, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station or The Police Service of Northern Ireland at 101, quoting reference number 1748 of 17/09/19.

Alternatively if someone would prefer to provide information without giving their details they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers and speak to them anonymously on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.